How Could This Happen?
by viper-sindel
Summary: Matt and Jeff Hardy are in for one heck of a surprise after Wrestlemania 25. They go visit Dad and learn something that turns their worlds upside down. CenaxOCxMatt JeffxBeth and in later chapters JeffxOC
1. We Have a What?

Disclaimer: I do not own any wrestlers. They are the property of the WWE. I do not own the Hardy family. They own themselves. Everything else is mine.

It was the day after Wrestlemania 25 and everyone was winding down after their brutal matches. Jeff Hardy was on his way to Cameron, NC, to visit his father, Gil Hardy. Unknown to him, so was his volatile brother, Matt. Adding even more fuel to the fire, Gil had a really big surprise for them both, something that would turn their worlds upside down…

***

"Jeff!" Dad said, running out to hug me. I smiled and hugged him back, until I saw the other car in the driveway. Glaring at me with utmost loathing from the doorway to the house was my brother. I frowned at him.

"Now boys," Dad began. "Now isn't the time t—"

"Mr. Hardy! Mr. Hardy!"

A young boy came running up and nearly collapsed at Dad's feet. His sides were heaving, suggesting that he'd run quite a ways.

"Good heavens, Haku!" Dad said, holding the boy steady. "What's wrong?"

"Momma *pant* in trouble *pant* bullets *pant*"

That was all Dad needed to hear as he handed me the quaking boy and took off at top speed, whipping out his cell phone.

"Leroy!" he shouted in panic. _Leroy? Wasn't that the sheriff? _"Find her! Quickly! Find my daughter!"

I froze, along with Matt and Beth. Dad, on the other hand, raced out of sight. Haku started crying, bringing us all back as we turned to look at the boy. Beth recovered first and took him from my completely numb body.

"It's okay honey," she said, trying to soothe him. "It'll be okay… I promise…"

_I had a nephew…_

"What about the others?" he sobbed. Beth was confused. _Others?_

"Who?" she asked.

"My brothers and my sister!" he answered, turning his eyes up to look into Beth's. _He has amber eyes…_

"I'm sure they're going to be just fine, too," she assured him.

"Yeah," Matt added, putting a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. Haku looked up at Matt and gave a small smile. "They'll be just fine."

Haku nodded, then studied Matt carefully.

"Uncle Matt?" Haku said. "Are you upset?"

"Yes," Matt answered honestly after a momentary pause. Then he smiled and ruffled Haku's hair. "But not with you."

_I swear I just saw Haku's golden eyes flash green for a moment…_

"Don't worry or feel bad, Uncle Matt," Haku said, taking his hand. "You'll like Momma and Grandpa wanted to tell you but Momma said that some things are meant to be learned on one's own, not spelled out."

I all ready knew this "Momma" was not going to be one of my favorite people. _How old was this kid anyway? He sounded like an adult!_

"Haku!"

"Kalub! Matthew! Raymond! You're all right!" Haku cried, scrambling out of Beth's arms and running over to hug his brothers. The baby was crying very loudly. Haku looked despairingly at Matt, so Matt walked over, Beth right behind him. Beth went to touch the baby but he just wailed louder, making her reel back. She looked at Haku, confused, then grew surprised (if not shocked) as the baby silenced as soon as Matt picked him up.

"Ray doesn't like strangers," Haku explained, only confusing Beth more.

"But he's never met Matt before either!" she pointed out. Haku nodded.

"Yes, but he likes Uncle Matt's scent," he continued, making it sound like it was completely normal for a baby to know someone's scent that they don't even know and latch on. "He won't sleep unless he can smell Uncle Matt. When we got here, he rolled around on the floor until he found one of Uncle Matt's shirts. Whenever we take it away, he wails like a banshee. He just likes Uncle Matt."

Then Haku reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. He looked at something and his eyes lit up.

"What is it?" asked one of the boys. Haku smiled.

"Momma and Kamiel are all right," he told his sibling. "Momma's getting a few stitches and wrapped up. Kamiel just got grazed, not more than a cat-scratch. Grandpa's bringing them home. Momma said Grandpa wants Uncle Matt to man the grill, using the steaks Momma seasoned. Uncle Jeff and Aunt Beth get to babysit everyone but Ray, as he won't want to be far from Uncle Matt. Momma also says all laundry goes to the wash room. She'll start on it when she gets home. Any questions will be answered by Momma and Grandpa upon their return."

_Okay. Who did this woman think she was?_

"Okay," Beth said. "C'mon Jeff, kids."

_Huh? What? We're actually going to obey?_

"Haku, would you show me where the steaks are?" asked Matt.

"Yes, sir!" Haku said, leading the way with a bright smile.

"What's your names?" asked Beth. The two boys smiled. The taller one spoke first.

"I'm Kalub," he said.

"I'm Matthew," said the smaller one.

"How old are you?" she asked, taking their hands and leading them inside. I looked up at the sky.

_Why me?_


	2. Getting to Know You

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hardys or any other wrestlers. They belong to themselves and the WWE. The kids and Sindel are mine.

I was a little irked at being told what to do and being put on baby duty, but, at the same time, at least I only had to deal with one, not three.

After Haku had shown me where the steaks were, he ran and got my old Version 1.0 tank-top. As soon as he'd spread it out on the ground near the grill, he set Ray on it. Sure enough, the baby was more than content to role around on and bury his head in my shirt.

I cooked the steaks and watched him. Once in a while, I'd go over and play with him. In mere minutes, I knew he was ticklish and that he liked measuring his hand with mine. He was kinda growing on me.

I began to ponder things I normally avoided talking about, let alone thinking about. _Would I be a good father someday? Did I even __want__ to be a father?_

"Something smells good," came a strange female voice behind me. I turned and froze. She was about 5'8" with a petite yet athletic frame. Her eyes were a dark brown, almost black and her skin was well tanned. Her hair was waist-length and black with silver tips. One silver streak lined her face, reminding me of Rogue from X-Men. She wore a tan spaghetti-strapped shirt and bell-bottom, hip-hugger black jeans. She wore simple flip-flops, sea shells adorning the straps. Her nails were painted beige with black tips and she wore a silver necklace. The charm was a dragon wrapped around a sword, a ruby in its hilt. Her silver earrings were skull-and-crossbones.

"I see you and Raymond are getting along nicely," she commented, picking up her son. He giggled and squirmed in her arms.

"He's easy to get along with," I replied. "I take it that you're my new sister?"

"There's nothing new about it, but that's a story for later," she replied, shifting Raymond so that she'd have a free hand. "Name's Sindel Alexandra Ruby Jones Hardy."

"Long name," I commented, shaking the offered hand. She smiled. Then I remembered how I'd met Haku. "Are you all right? What was the extent of the damage? What happened?"

"I got caught in a gang-related crossfire," she said calmly. "I walked away with three clean through-and-through shots; two in my abdomen, one in my thigh."

Then she got a thoughtful look on her face.

"It's strange really, but it didn't hurt as bad as I imagined it would," she commented. I just shook my head.

"How did your kids get their names?" I asked, just trying to make conversation.

"Haku Genoa Hardy got his name from a Japanese novel I read at the time that I found him," she said, setting Raymond down on her lap as she took up a nearby chair. "I was nine when I came across an abandoned baby near the river in the town. We were at Genoa when I found him."

_Wow…_

"I was in the hospital when Kalub and Kamiel were born," she continued. "I knew their mother and their… father… decided his business trip was more important than the birth of his kids so he asked me to be there. I agreed. Their mom didn't survive. Kamiel had to be pulled from a dead body. Luckily, no damage was done. The doctors called Clavo to tell him the news while I held the newborn babies and he told them that the babies were now mine. He'd come by later with the paperwork. Thus, I got to name them. Kalub Brice Hardy got his name from my best friend's boyfriend, Calub, and my adopted father, Brice. Kamiel Ruby Hardy got her name from a movie I'd watched and your mother. Dad spoke little of anyone else. It also came to suit Kamiel as she got older. Dad says she's so very like your mother."

She smiled softly.

"Matthew Gilbert Hardy was abandoned on a bike trail," she told me, playing with Ray. "No one else challenged me for her care, so I kept him. He was named after you and Dad."

That took me by surprise.

"Raymond Moore Hardy is the only one that's mine by blood," she began, her voice going quiet. "I don't know who the father is. It could have been any of my rapists… I named him after my old friend and stole your middle name. Dad says he's a lot like you in many ways."

I sat down hard. This was a lot to digest. I had just learned a lot about my sister, things I know not many people knew.

_She trusts me._

***

Matt was looking at me with a funny expression. He seemed shocked, horrified, and awed, all at the same time.

"What?" I asked. He shook his head and smiled.

"You just surprise me," he answered. I nodded, accepting his answer.

"Matt, if you don't mind my asking, why are you at such odds with your brother?"

Matt paused, thinking over how to answer.

"Do you watch wrestling?"

"I've followed your entire career."

"Then you'll see some of my reasoning."

"Jealousy, mal-content, deprivation, luckless-ness…"

"And then there's the whole lack of gratitude for my years of sacrifice for his well being."

"You don't have to answer this, but I must ask. Are you possibly feeling a little disgusted or upset that even Jeff's love-life is better, seemingly, than yours? Is there a part of you that wishes, dares to hope, that his so-called flawless and firm relationship will fail… much like yours had… with Amy?"

I saw him struggling.

"Remember," I reminded him. "You don't have to answer."

He shook his head and sat down next to me.

"Yes, I do," he said, letting Ray mess with his hand. "Yes, I am a little irked *I gave him a look* okay, very annoyed at his success in that area. I feel like I'm living in his shadow when it should be the other way around… I won't lie. There is a part of me that wants nothing more than for Jeff to go through something like I did, but a smaller part of me hopes that what he's found is true. Beth seems genuine…"

"But you're hoping that she's not so perfect or that Jeff will get caught doing something that will ruin his reputation," I finished. Matt nodded. A new thought occurred to me then, surprising and pleasing me.

_He trusts me._


	3. Lucky Jeff

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hardys. They belong to themselves and to the WWE. The kids and Sindel are mine, along with all the other crazy people I pop in here!**

_Well… If he can trust me, I can trust him._

I looked down at Raymond.

"I am going to be frank with you," I told him. "Jeff's lucky to have you for a brother… I was not near as kind nor restrained as you."

I had his attention now.

"I was jealous of my older brother, a jealousy that gave way to hate in short order," I began. "He, like your brother, was well-liked by everyone and… he had a fiancé."

My voice grew cold.

"How I loathed her. True, she'd done nothing to me, but she was a symbol of my brother's triumphs. I did everything within my power to break them up, everything that would go undetected. I didn't want any fingers pointing at me. I wanted him to feel the stain of betrayal. I wanted to hurt him, to show everyone that he wasn't so perfect."

Then my voice turned to shame.

"Finally, I reached the breaking point. I did a most dishonorable thing… I paid a street-whore to mess with my drunken brother. She did a lot more than I had intended. She unearthed quite the well-hidden history of the fiancé. Turned out that the whore I hired once worked along-side the fiancé. She had a rap-sheet longer than Ted Bundy by age ten. It more than tripled by the time she turned twenty…"

I paused and closed my eyes in self-loathing, which came out in my voice.

"I had… in my hand… all the information I needed to break them up, to end my brother's lucky streak. I could have ended it right there… but I didn't. I wanted him to suffer. She had quite the history of scamming men out of their money through marriage. My brother would be her thirteenth…"

I couldn't look at neither Matt nor Ray.

"I let her go through with the wedding, knowing well what would happen. Sure enough, three weeks after the marriage, they were divorced and my brother was left a penniless, broken man. He moved back home and cried on my shoulder frequently, saying that if he had only listened to me, that would have never happened. I said nothing, but, after a while, what I had done began to eat at me…"

Tears began to make their way down my face.

"I told him what I'd done… I didn't blame him at all for storming out, calling me the biggest traitor alive. We didn't see one another again until four years later when he took a bullet that was meant for me. He died in vain. The men still got me. My entire stay in the ICU consisted of kicking myself for what I'd done, and talking to my best friend, Tiburone."

I wiped my tears and sighed.

"Had I known Tiburone was an upper-level Mala Noché, I wouldn't have told him anything. I made the mistake of complaining about her, saying she started all this, and, the next thing I know, her age-old scams are revealed on the evening news. I learned that a bomb had been planted within her body and that she had been in the center of the Super Bowl Stadium during half-time when the bomb detonated. She was blown to pieces in front of thousands of people. Once the smoke cleared, all of the screens around the Stadium read:

DON'T MESS WITH VIPER OR YOU MESS WITH US

MALA NOCHÉ

"Viper was Tiburone's nickname for me so that cleared up any ideas I had about not being responsible for this crime, even in part. Needless to say, I'm more careful about what I say around Tiburone."

Silence fell and I let Ray pull my hair for a while, up until he tried to put it in his mouth. When denied my hair, he put Matt's old shirt in his mouth instead.

"Wow," Matt said finally, giving a low whistle. "Just so I'm clear, you still talk to this… Tiburone… and haven't turned him in?"

"Yes," I answered, still not looking at him. Truth be told, I was afraid of what I'd see. He was silent for a while.

"Would you ever consider doing it again?" he asked slowly. I shook my head.

"No," I answered. "I could never bring such pain on someone again."

After a few seconds, I got quite the shock at Matt pulled me into a hug. After I recovered, I hugged him back.

"Thank you for trusting me," he said softly. I smiled and buried my head in his chest, letting a few tears fall.

"You're really easy to trust and talk to," I told him.


	4. Questions and Answers

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hardys (the dad included). They're their own property and that of WWE. I own all others.

"Kids!" I called. "It's time to wash up for supper!"

"All right!" cheered the boys, racing to the bathroom to wash up. Matt and Sindel walked in; Matt with the steaks, Sindel with Ray. She looked as though she'd been crying, but I shrugged it off, having noticed that Matt's shirt was somewhat soaked. They must have confided in one another. Good. At least one son was guaranteed to like her.

Jeff and Beth came walking in with the four rambunctious kids. They all sat down and I smiled at my grandchildren. They were five in a million.

Haku had almost white, shoulder-length blonde hair and amber eyes. He was tall for a nine-year-old, reaching 4'11". His skin was rather pale, unusual for the amount of time he spent in the sun. His face always seemed to hold an edge of mystery.

Kalub had short, blue-black hair, tan skin, and charming royal blue eyes. He stood about the height of Matt's upper thigh. His twin sister, Kamiel, was much the same height, maybe half-an-inch shorter. Her blue-black hair was down to her waist. Her royal blue eyes always held a look of curiosity, though she rarely acted on it. Unlike her brother, her skin was fair. They were adorable for four-year-olds.

Matthew, a child driven to always please his mother, had short, fire-red hair. Like Sindel, he had dark-brown, almost black eyes. His skin was as tanned as his mother's and he was about three inches taller than Matt's knees. He was almost above average for a two-year-old.

Raymond was roughly eleven months old. He was tan as his mother, but his eyes were emerald green. His hair, so far, was growing in a matching color to Sindel's. He was a prize.

"Can I say the prayer, Grandpa?" asked Kamiel. I smiled.

"Of course you can," I told her, noting my sons' surprise. True, I was almost never as kind nor gentle with them, but they didn't have the fragile mindset she does. They had led somewhat charmed lives in comparison.

"Thank you Lord for the food we are about to eat," she began. "Thank you for protecting our family today. I pray for all the injured that they will heal up and get better… Anyway, bless this food to our bodies' use. Amen."

"Amen," chorused all. Then the food got passed along. The meal was lively and passed without mishap. Sindel then got the kids sat down to watch their nightly movie, Bambi 2 that night. Now, it was time to get serious.

***

We were all sitting in the kitchen, having done all of the dishes. Now was the time for my least favorite game: Question and Answer. I looked at my new family calmly.

"Now would be the time to ask questions so that everything's out on the table," Dad said. Matt, Jeff, and Beth nodded. Beth turned to me.

"Wh… How exactly did you come to be their sister?" she asked, asking the main question on their minds. I sighed.

"Point-blank," I began. "Dad got drunk and met my drunken mother and canoodling was the least of their activities. Nine months later, I popped out. Mom called Dad and Dad said it would be best if she kept me. Thus my Mom's husband was fooled into believing I was his child and you two remained blissfully unaware of the events of that time. Alan's name may be on my birth certificate, but Mom made sure that I knew who my father was. Unfortunately, plans were changed due to certain recent events, thus, we have met."

"What events?" asked Jeff. Dad and I exchanged glances. We were afraid that question was going to come up.

"I fear you won't like the answer to that, considering what all it entails," I answered slowly. He gestured for me to continue. I took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "My family is dead, murdered for some unknown reason. The only reason I am not among them is because I was on my way to Clavo's with Kalub and Kamiel, the other three being with my best friend, Mini-me, at the time. My adoptive family and my biological family are gone. I had nowhere to go and no support system."

"That's when she called me," Dad continued. "She told me what had happened. I immediately got her cleared to come live with me. No sooner did she get here was it revealed that Clavo, too, had been murdered. She has contacted her friend, Tiburone, but has not revealed her whereabouts. He has assured her that he and his men will do their best to track down the killers and find the truth."

"So are we in danger now?" asked Beth.

"As far as we can guess, no," I answered. "But there's still that tiny possibility of a 'yes'."

"And I chose to protect her to the best of my ability, though I believe it's been quite the other way around," Dad added. "She may be my daughter, but at times, I feel that I am the one playing the child here."

I blushed.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked sheepishly. Dad roared with laughter, totally destroying the grim mood.

"No, child," he said. "Not at all."

I smiled.

"Any other questions?" I asked. No one said a word. "I'm taking the silence and your expressions as a 'yes' but you're afraid of the answer."

Again, nothing. Then…

"What are your interests, your passions?" asked Matt. I smiled.

"Music, history, literature, and Mortal Combat," I answered. That surprised them. "Ever heard of the Ramble?"

Matt and Jeff shook their heads, but Beth nodded, going pale.

"It's an underground fighting arena, one where there are only three ways to win: K.O., complete immobilization of your opponent, or the death of your opponent," I explained, enjoying the fact that my honesty was causing the color to drain from Beth's face. "I've been the reigning champion for the past three years. I started fighting there when I was fourteen."

"And how old are you?" asked Jeff.

"Nineteen next month," I answered, then checked the time. "That's as much as I can do right now. The kids needs baths and such. Dad, can Haku bathe in your bathroom again while I give Kalub and Matthew theirs?"

"Of course," he answered, then picked up Ray. "And I'll go ahead and bathe this little wanderer for you."

"Thanks, Dad," I said and left to grab the all ready scattering children.

***

"Our sources say your friend was not among the ones slain," Axe, leader of the Mala Noché, said to Tiburone. "Do you know whether our Viper is in a safe place?"

"As far as I know, she is safely living in North Carolina," he answered. "She hung up before I could pin-point her exact location."

"At least she's far from here," Axe stated. "It appears to me, that this attack was pre-meditated and was meant to make a statement, to show off. This family was targeted, not selected at random. How did your friend escape this?"

"She received an emergency call from Clavo Samheine," Tiburone stated. "Something about needing a step-in family for a dinner that night."

Axe nodded.

"Do you believe Viper will continue to be hunted?" Tiburone asked. Axe sat back and sighed.

"I believe she will, Tiburone," he answered. "This killer seems to want that family line dead… I'm sorry…"

Tiburone nodded gravely.

"Can we stop them?" he asked miserably. Axe smiled and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Tiburone," he said softly. "We protect our own."


	5. Approval and a Promise

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hardys. They're WWE property and themselves.

Later that night, I had just finished reading the kids another chapter of Harry Potter. I looked at them all, Raymond asleep on my bed.

"Did you see the way they ate their supper?" asked Kamiel suddenly, grabbing everyone's attention. "It was perfect! Almost like home!"

"And Uncle Jeff was teaching us how to wrestle!" Haku added.

"And Aunt Beth taught us a new card game!" Matthew said. I smiled.

"So you like them?" I asked.

"Very much," they chorused.

"Good," I said. "Because I have to go to the city in the morning."

Haku bolted up into a sitting position.

"But you just got back!" he protested.

"I know," I said softly. "I'll only be gone one day. They will look after you until I return."

"Why do you have to go?" asked Kalub as he and Kamiel got situated on my lap.

"Grandpa and I believe that I need a new security card and the birth certificate name has to be changed," I answered. "I need a new driver's license and a few other things. It's all necessary."

"Grandpa's going with you?" Kamiel whined. "Why can't we go? Ray gets to!"

"That's because he's still a baby," I explained kindly, playing with her hair. "Also, my contacts will be in. My eyes will now look like the Nile River, brown with tints of green and blue."

Kamiel smiled at the thought.

"Do you remember the Nile?" I asked them.

"The one from the story?" asked Kalub. "The river where that Princess lives?"

"Yes," I answered. "Cleopatra was not only a princess, but also a queen!"

Then I noticed that Haku was silent, his eyes on the floor. I frowned. That was never a good sign.

"How much more do you have to change, Momma?" he asked suddenly, looking up. "First your hair… and now your eyes… How long 'til they demand a change in who you are, too?"

I studied my eldest son. He had amazingly accurate perception, especially for a nine-year-old.

"They all ready restrict your activities at the Ramble," he continued, undeterred by his siblings' frightened expressions. "You can't go anywhere without being followed, be it by people trying to protect you or those meaning you harm or those sent to follow you. You had to drop out of college, lacking time to transfer. That was your dream too! Going to college… getting a great job… You had to quit your job, just when you finally got that promotion you worked so hard for, and you can't talk to any of your friends 'cause the lines may be tapped. You can't even visit the pack because someone might see you!"

He paused and I knew that his true worry was about to be revealed.

"How long 'til you're cut off from us, 'til you can't be our mother anymore?" he asked, his eyes burrowing into mine, begging for answers that I truly didn't have.

He was frightened! Sensing that he was about to cry, I moved the twins to sit down next to me and pulled him into my lap. I wrapped my arms around him and let him cry on me.

"Now you listen carefully to me, all of you," I said not unkindly. "I promise you that not even death will take me from you. I will always be with you… even if you can't see me. I promise."

***

Sindel walked into the living room and sat down hard. I looked at her crestfallen and saddened expression and felt a slight tug in my heart. _Blasted thing anyway…_

"You all right?" I asked. She jumped slightly and her eyes zeroed in on me.

"Didn't realize you were still awake," she stated, turning her eyes to the window.

_Thank God! _Those eyes felt like probes, searching, digging deep inside me for all my faults, failures, and—_OH FOR THE LOVE OF—Pull yourself together!_

"Jeff…" she began hesitantly.

"What?" I asked, then winced after she did. That hadn't been the kindest tone of voice.

"Can you… promise me something?"

Now she had my attention.

"That depends on the promise," I said carefully.

"Jeff… I know we just met and that you don't particularly like me—"

"That's not true," I cut in. "I just don't know you."

Her eyes caught and held mine. All arguments and stalls died in my throat.

"I'm not here to argue," she said quietly. "I want to know… no… I need to know… Will you promise me that… heaven forbid… if something happens… to me… will you help raise my children… when I'm gone?"

My eyebrows shot up. _Help raise… Help?_

"Help who?" I asked. She smiled weakly.

"Matt agreed to take them as his own if something happened to me," she told me, then added ruefully, "But he said I'd die over his 'pus-spewing carcass'."

I smirked. _Yep. That sounded like Matt._

"Will you help?" she asked again. "They all ready like you well enough…"

I couldn't help it. I wanted those eyes off me!

"Yeah," I answered. "I can do that."


	6. Being Uncle Matt

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hardys. WWE does. Thank you.

_Lightning flashed across the sky, waking the sleeping child. Dark brown, almost black eyes scanned the surrounding shrubbery… The rain was pouring down, making it difficult to see. The child slowly got to her hands and knees and crawled to the mouth of the cave. Lightening once again lit the area, illuminating a crouching dark figure nearby. With a wail, the child roused her pack, ready for battle. The shape began to run away, closely pursued by the older members of the pack. Battle sounds raged nearby as the storm continued. Then, Brokefang's ears went flat against his head._

_Suddenly, Brokefang grabbed the child and yanked her far away from the opening as unnatural thunder bit through the night air. Where she had been, the ground now supported a strange and frightening hole. The sounds of abnormal thunder slowly faded away and the pack returned to the safety of the den. Quiet fell over them like a heavy blanket as the storm passed. Slowly, the child returned to her fitful sleep…_

***

Raymond's soft hungry whimpers brought me to wakefulness. I shook my head as I let Raymond nurse. _Why am I remembering this? Why do the years with the pack haunt my dreams? What was I supposed to glean from this?_

Shaking my head once more, I pushed my thoughts away. The silent night was broken only by the sounds of Dad's snores next door and Raymond's satisfied sigh as slumber once more took him. Then, I heard the sound of small feet moving around. I looked up just in time to see Kamiel run past my door. Setting Raymond down, I silently followed her, making sure that she remained unaware of my presence.

Finally, she entered a room, her steps slowing considerably. I made sure to stay in the shadows, but situated myself so that I could see well what went on in the room. Warily, I watched my only daughter approach the bed.

***

"Uncle Matt?" a small voice said, interrupting my dream. Desperately, I tried to cling to my sleep. "Uncle Matt?"

Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked at the ceiling. _What on earth—_

"Uncle Matt?" came a trembling voice from beside me. I looked slowly to the side, only for Kamiel's frightened face to come into view. I jerked my head up to look at the time. 1:47 A.M. I took a deep breath and looked at her.

"Kamiel, shouldn't you be in bed?" I asked softly, not unkindly. She was trembling from head to toe. "Kamiel? Are you all right?"

I moved to sit up partially, leaning on my left arm. Her frightened eyes moved to mine.

"I had a nightmare," she said in a very small voice. She climbed up on my bed and curled up next to me. Without thinking, I wrapped my arm around her comfortingly.

"Can I sleep with you?" she asked softly. "I don't want to be alone… I don't want to remember…"

_Remember what?_

Somehow, I knew that asking would not be a good idea. I sighed and rearranged my body so that she'd better fit on my bed and I covered her up, letting her get comfortable at my side.

"Go to sleep, Kamiel," I told her softly, gently. "I'll keep you safe."

"Even from the nightmares, monsters, and the evil men?" she asked, her pleading eyes looking into mine. I smiled reassuringly.

"They don't mess with your Uncle Matt," I assured her. She smiled and nodded. Then she gave me a hug and snuggled closer.

"Goodnight, Uncle Matt."

"Goodnight, Kamiel."

There was a moment of silence… Then…

"I love you," she whispered tiredly.

"Love you, too," I answered automatically. I heard her breathing slow and soon, sleep took her. I swear I heard someone walking away from my door, then put it up to the house settling. After all, this was an old house.

After a long time, I finally sank back into my dreams but, this time, they were full of the visions of battles, waves of fear, and Kamiel's chalk-white face…

***

**Sorry it was so short but I'm running on pure minute-thoughts right now for this story. I'm hopeing that I get a few reviews so that I can glean some ideas for future chapters from them. All help would be appreciated.**

**Also, it should be noted that the scene at the beginning of this chapter is indeed a memory of Sindel's. I will be sliding some more of those in bit by bit as time goes by. Some of her past will be reavealed by her, some by Gil Hardy, and others by a character I plan to introduce later on.**

**For those who have any questions concerning this particular plot line or don't understand something, by all means, contact me through review and I will try to get back to you. Thank you.**

**Viper-Sindel**


	7. The Next Step

DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN WWE PPLS OR MR. HARDY. KK! THE KIDS AND SINDEL ARE MINE!

"Are you sure they can handle the four of them?" I asked Dad as we drove away. One glance at the clock told me everyone but us was asleep. 7:13 A.M. He smiled at me.

"Don't worry," he said. "My sons and Beth assured me last night that they could and if they have any questions they will call. They swore they would. Relax. They know what they're doing… And Shannon will be over soon enough to help."

"Is that supposed to be a comforting thought?" I asked. "I'm leaving four unruly children with someone I trust and two that I don't and now you're telling me that a third unknown party is going over to help with MY kids?"

I looked at Dad incredulously.

"That's it! Turn around! We're taking the kids with us!"

Dad roared with laughter at my momentary panic. I frowned at him, failing to see the humor in it. I also noted that he was making no move to stop or turn around.

"What, pray tell, is so amusing?" I snapped. "My kids are being watched by complete strangers!"

Dad smiled at me, putting a hand on my arm.

"Child, I assure you that your children are safe. I know my sons, Beth, and Shannon. If you can't judge them on what you know, you should trust MY judgment."

"Fine," I grumbled. "I hope that the kids don't trick them into reading the rest of Harry Potter."

"Don't worry," Dad said, chuckling. "Beth all ready knows about that happy pastime for you and your kids. She has told me that she will respect your motherly practices."

I nodded and fell silent again.

"You know," Dad began. "You're going to have to explain your biological relations to them before my sons find out on their own."

Silence reigned for a moment, so Dad continued.

"Matt, especially, will want this on the table. After all, your Uncle and Aunt aren't too fond of the Hardy Boys… I don't suppose you've told them about this, or your Godfather for that matter?"

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

"I told my Godfather," I answered slowly. "He was rather… displeased with my current location, pointing out that this could make things very… tense… at work for all of them."

I paused for a moment.

"He also believes that this may seem impossible to them, my Uncle included, and he's not sure that a simple answer to this dilemma will supply itself," I continued. "I wasn't sure myself. On the same note, my Godfather said that telling my Uncle now before he found out on his own would be the best idea."

"Then you'd best get it over with," Dad said pointedly. I nodded and pulled out my cell phone. With a sigh, I dialed the all-too-familiar number.

Ring… Ring… Ring… Ri—

"Hello?" came a male voice.

"Hi, it's Sindel. There's something I need to tell you, Uncle Adam."

***

While Matt and Shannon distracted the kids with their tales of Matt's wrestling days, Beth and I escaped to the kitchen to make lunch. We popped in three boxed pizzas and began cutting up fruit and cheese. Finally, I asked the question that had been bugging me since last night.

"Beth, last night when we were talking to Sindel… when she mentioned the Ramble, you kinda went white… Why?"

Beth froze. She was so tense and shaky that she set the knife down and sat down at the table.

"Beth?" I asked, concerned. She closed her eyes as if trying to ward off evil memories.

"Jeff… I've been there… to the Ramble," she began, her voice as shaky as her form.

_What?_

To say I was shocked was the understatement of a lifetime.

Sindel lied, Jeff," she continued, shaking in earnest.

_Huh? Lied? About what?_

"The current champion is said to have begun fighting there when she was five. She goes by the name Bastet… She's been champion since she was seven."

She began to shake even worse.

"I saw one of her matches, Jeff," she whispered, horror seeping into her voice. "I've had such nightmares since then… five on one… two years ago… Bastet made it look like child's play! It was like she was… toying with them…"

She shuddered again. It was horrible to watch! I'd never seen her so shook up, not even after getting run off the road. Without a second thought, I wrapped my arms around her comfortingly.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I shouldn't have asked."

She just clung to me, needing my strength.

_Bastet… Sindel… Who… What are you?_

***

"Uncle Matt?" asked Kamiel. "Are you gonna beat Uncle Jeff on Friday?"

I smiled.

"I plan to," I answered her. She smiled brightly. "Will you watch?"

"Yep!" she answered, then her smile faded. "Uncle Matt… Did u mean what you said last night… about the evil men?"

She paused for a moment.

"Will you protect me from them?"

I forced a warm smile onto my face.

"I will," I told her.

"And Momma?" she asked further. "When they come for her, will you stand in their way? Will you protect her?"

I was floored. I was getting a twenty-year-old conversation/plea from a four-year-old child!

"I will do my best, Kamiel," I told her. She nodded, smiling again.

"I couldn't ask for more," she said, then ran off to tackle Shannon and begin another wrestling match. My eyes followed her, my mind very far away, as my forced smiled slid from my face.

What on earth happened to this pieced-together family? What could possibly have made a four-year-old mature so quickly?

And why did I feel like it was something I'd regret learning?

***

Dad and I returned that night to a silent and dark home. I guess that was to be expected. After all, it was three in the morning. I had driven home as Dad had been too tired. Even now, I loathed to wake him, but I gently shook him into wakefulness anyway. Slowly and silently, we entered the house, said our goodnights, and went our separate ways.

When I got to my room, I got quite the pleasant surprise. The moonlight shone through the window illuminating my bed. Wrapped in the covers were all my kids and Matt Hardy.

_Aww… How cute! Where's a camera when you need one?_

Matt was laying on his back, his left arm around Raymond and his right around Kamiel. Kalub was curled up next to Kamiel, his back to her, his arm holding the covers up over Matthew. Haku was curled up on his side, his back to Matt and Raymond. I chuckled as I noticed that he'd brought his stuffed, russet-colored wolf to bed and was holding it tight. The functional name was Jacob Black. Haku was rather fond of the Twilight character.

I smiled again and changed my clothes, then crawled into bed, pulling Haku to my side. I'd get the whole story tomorrow…


End file.
